1) Focus groups were conducted with teens, parents of young children, baby boomers, and adult patrons to provide input for the Athens-Clarke County Library's strategic plan. 2) The focus groups discussed what services and programs they currently use and enjoy, as well as changes they would like to see. Popular services included books, computers, children's programs, and DVDs. Suggested changes included longer hours, quiet study spaces, and improved technology resources. 3) Participants also shared trends they saw impacting the library, such as growing technology use and international diversity in the community. They emphasized the library's role in bringing people together and providing access to information.

1. Athens-Clarke County Library
Focus Groups
Summary
Prepared By Gail Griffith
August 2012
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2. Purpose of Focus Groups
To collect data from
keystakeholder groups (patrons
and partners)for input into the
Strategic Plan
To enhance relationships and
opportunities for collaboration
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3. Four Groups
Teens 8 teens, ages 12-17, including 2
homeschooled students
Parents of Young Children 6 mothers (and their infants)
Baby Boomers Grant Advisory 6 people, including 2 authors and
Committee grant staffers from Library and
Lyndon House
Adult Patrons from Athens Library 7 adults, including 1
homeschooling parent, a
homeless individual, and a former
volunteer
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4. What They Use and Enjoy
Teens Parents Boomers Adults
•Books •Books •Place holds, order •Books
•Staff actually call books
•Place holds, order •Internet and
to tell them their •Activities for computers
book is in! books
grandchildren
•Computers •DVDs
•Computers (for 5- •Downloadables
•Live Action Role year-old) •Large Type
Play (LARP) •Passport
•Infant Storytime •Magazines
•DVDs •Cultural events,
•Contests •Music time movies
•Variety of •Galileo
programs •Little ones like to
play here •Heritage Room
•Summer
Reading—would •Resources for
like to have for writers—reference,
older kids writers conference
•Ticket to Read for
little kids
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5. What They’d Change
Teens Parents Boomers Adults
•Have every book in •More opportunities •Anxious to see •Filters sometimes
a series available for parents of young renovation finished block wrong things
•Have children to meet •Shelve all fiction •Private study space
recommendations and interact together, not by •Improve behavior
of books to read •Wonder if parents genre of other patrons,
•More graphic who most need •Libraries in general get security to
novels library are coming buy too much intervene more
here? rubbish, need to effectively
•Video game
collection improve readers, •Can’t figure out
provide more prize- how to request
•More new movies winning books purchase of a book
•Language learning •Improve online and be
videos cleanliness of public notified when it’s
•Sports instruction computers? available
videos •Better interior •Want access to
•Music and cooking building older editions of
programs about maintenance magazines and
different countries •Provide quiet areas ability to do word
and cultures searches (like
Nexus)
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6. Trends
Teens Parents Boomers Adults
•Technology: •Economy—people •Environmental •Community can
headphones, borrow more, need awareness become
Kindles and e- more than 2 weeks fragmented, library
books, text or email •Increasing can be a hub to
when book is due, •International diversity—library help people
self-checkout, community, want can help us learn connect
online renewal tapes in other and enjoy
languages •Technology
•Death of the
•Computer classes •ESL, mostly for physical book— •Cell phone
on how to do Hispanic people need e-readers etiquette is
animation, movie nonexistent
and photo editing •Full Bloom closed, •Self-publishing everywhere
library has
•Want to learn opportunity to •So polarized in •There is less civility
more about become place talking about everywhere
science and where parents issues—library
space—make meet each other could encourage
NOVA accessible? discussion, not
shouting
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7. How else could library improve?
Teens Parents Boomers Adults
•More programs: •More Infant •Need lots more •Longer hours
movies, crafts, book Storytimes—crowded publicity—radio PSAs?
•Can’t get a computer if
trivia, Battle of the Events for press? not here early
Books, board games, •Tag items with a kid’s
Jeopardy, heavy recommendation •Longer hours on •Show independent and
metal jewelry show, Sundays classic films
how to type •Music Jam for infants •Would pay a library •Show online lectures from
tax universities and host
•After school program: •Website needs discussions. NASA, Cornell
read, homework, improvement, glad to •Help people improve have good science
hangout—have bus presentations
see prototype employment
bring us here •Have all books in a series
•Run literacy programs
•Blog specific to J or
•Send customized or refer to partners •Cleaner restrooms
YA department so we
alerts based on a could know more? •Community needs to •Metal detector at the
profile we create door?
know more about
•Newer, more Pinewoods
•Library more mobile— •Need more than 2 hours
interesting and varied on a computer. Timers
delivery by truck or baby videos •Space for writers don’t all work right, may
mail? groups to meet more need to have batteries on
frequently motherboards replaced
•Longer checkouts
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8. How do you hear about library
services or programs?
Parents Adults
•Other moms •Written material around service
desk
•Facebook
•Bulletin boards downstairs
•WUGA
•Home page
•Athens conscious parents •Newspaper, if you’re looking
listserv (?)
•Would like to see libraries
•Newspaper--Flagpole connect their local heritage
programs around the country to
make access easier
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9. Partnership Opportunities the Library
Should Pursue?
Parents Boomers Adults
•Schools •UGA Library—want to •UGA Library—want to
place hold on their use my ACCL card
•Senior groups, council books and have them there, use their
on aging sent here computers and
extended hours for
•Business community— study
•Museums, like the
ex. Banks might fund an
natural history museum
ongoing ad campaign •Need coordination of
on campus
to show their info for homeless
investment in people
•UGA—involve their community; would also
students in demonstrate value to
programming as a way elected officials
to offer more programs
like infant storytimes
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10. Keep at All Cost…
Parents Adults
•Programming, it gets people in •Don’t cut books at all (3)
the doors
•What library does now is basic
•Computers are important for
and essential, don’t want to
the community—not everyone
surrender anything really (2)
has internet at home
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11. $1,000,000 Gift, No Strings!
Parents Adults
•More books! More titles and •Books
copies
•E-readers, and coordinated
•More staff way to request something for
•Multimedia your Kindle, or use one only in
the library
•Suggestion box at front desk or
online to get ideas •Book groups—remembers they
had a Jewish lit discussion
•Getting the word out about
group. Are there other
things
opportunities for these?
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12. Anything Else?
Teens Parents Boomers Adults
•Would like to work or •Listen to the •Appreciates art •More family-oriented
volunteer at library— patrons—things keep books at Lyndon movies, don’t cover
shelve books, check changing House rating with a sticker
holds, etc.—but don’t •Continue to increase •Partner with
want their •Likes regular schedule
online presence of programs businesses for rewards
volunteering to put for kids
anyone out of a job •We LOVE the library! throughout the year
Has lived here forever •Library can help
and looks at library a •Authors and writers people find
whole new way since are natural partners government info
becoming a parent. with library
•How often do you
Invaluable! conduct inventory?
•Promote local
authors? •More training on how
to set up and use
•Partner with
computers
businesses to get 10%
off coffee when you •Keep up the good
show library card? work!
•A fine library system!
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